Protesters storm Swedish Embassy in Baghdad after man threatens to burn Quran in Stockholm
By ALI JABAR, ABBY SEWELL and DAVID KEYTON
Associated Press
BAGHDAD (AP) — Protesters angered by an Iraqi man in Sweden who threatened to burn a copy of the Quran stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad. They overran the diplomatic compound early Thursday and started a fire. Hours later, Iraq’s prime minister cut diplomatic ties with Sweden in protest over the desecration of the Islamic holy book. Protesters occupied the diplomatic post for several hours. They waved flags and signs showing the influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada al-Sadr. The embassy staff was evacuated a day earlier.